The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1887-12-08
POOR FATHER!
Va 80 g-Na 80 .
Unbountled Happiness Turned to
.s9s'ssG Deepest Sorrow.


learned that his ship, Francis GARNER,
was to be sent to China, he thought OF
hiswife and boy and this thought sud-
denly checked his JOY to be put in the
way of gaining the epaulettes of Capt
ain. Even he experienced something
like remorse for having wished his ship
to be one of those selected for this far
away expedition. and, he asked him
self, if these instantaneous -disauietudes
we're not what people call a PRESENT.
mont. e. a. }EI9x3
1t is this, for the last month his child
was unwell. and the doctor had recon-
mended constant care and attentive
treatment. Marcel was born a little
delicate, sickly, one would say lit seemed
as if he had inherited the paludean
fever, of which his father has suffered
IN. Africa on the banks of those large
and treacherous rivers, where malaria
ureigns supreme. sssttt
Madame Robel;ne expected the news;
she wanted to be courageous.
when do you leave?" she asked,
simply.
"In fortnight"
She felt her heart ready to burst. He
took her on his knees, and with his
Kisses he restrained her tears.
Papa" stammered the boy, will
You take me with you?'
The sailor had his home outside of
Ioulon, in this corner of the roadway,
gracious and picturesque as Neapoli-
san bay. He hoped that, in the midst
4 ofpalm and orange trees, his young
one would improve; but the child, after
recovering little, became weak again
under the anxious eyes of his mother,
those 'wornan.s eyes which refuse to
notice the painful traces of sickness on
the loved faces, although they see them
growing deeper; equally prompt to
hope or despair, and whose tenderness
has tears for joy as well as for sorrow.
Three days before the Francis
Garnier left her moorings to make her
essays and regulate her compasses
Madame Robeline visited her husbands
ship, where he was going to live, and,
who knows, die, perhaps. wounded DUR
Ing battle? She had some terrific
risians. ,-
Ah!poor sailors wives!
She arranged his cabin, made a nest
q u hlled it with green plants which
mouid fade away once in open sea.
her picture and the child's smiled
above the narrow bed in frame made
: win swords and revolvers, where for
Inc future exiled they would recall the
absent home to his mind. And while
sns placed all those things, often alone,
nef husband being on duty on the deck,
sne cried, One evening, as she had
0elated herself, she wrapped Marcel in
asnawl, but the gamin threw down the
garment again and again, clapped his
nands, laughed with the sailors, happy
WIN the breeze and swell. He caught
scoid. The next day he could not rise
neeoughed SO much. sl
:, MS father and mother slept no more.
Inc Francis Carriers departure was
uAea Tor the next Saturday. They
counted the hours. Soon the child
tws at deaths door. StEs{
Miu You save him, doctorp" be-
seughtlthey. @EJ
a,, Inc doctor answered eyes" but that
ss se not satisfy them. Marcel was too
I'eole to- resist that dreadful cough.
.s ass she, parents returned to their
saas bed. murmuring some tender
', words without hearing themselves
spssH They looked at their moaning
sMld and buried their nails in the
PAINS Of their hands. 4
We leave on Saturday."
A., bertha uttered a great cry. satur-
sa G night ought not to come for her.
s.s nu' the angel may die that very
H., S;s'proay perhaps! her boy to die-to
- essssa
a. 10 20 not go. Henry! For Gods sake,
.,s - went out to solicit his transfer to
a. n,0'aer ship that remained in Toulon.
: we threshold Of his door he re-